Chocolate And Headaches?

by Jill
(Port Douglas, Australia)

A Migraine Food Trigger?

Dear Mary Kay

One hears so much these days about the health benefits of having small amounts of dark chocolate, regularly.

Yet chocolate is often listed as a common trigger for migraines.

So what is your advice?

Can I enjoy chocolate without the fear of having a terrible migraine as a result?

Answer:

Hi Jill,

Great topic..one I hear often from my patients.

The truth is no..chocolate does not cause a migraine or a headache. The entire migraine process is very complex once it starts firing off in the brain. Part of it involves a prodromal phase where there may be food or sugar cravings.

Then the migraine hits. After several hours of head pain, the postdromal phase sets in where you are tired and feel like you could just lie down and go to sleep.

Because this is such a popular topic when discussing migraine food triggers I devoted a whole page to the headache chocolate connection.

So have a piece of chocolate now and then and don't worry about it!

Take care,
Mary Kay Betz MS RPA-C